


The Interloper War

by face78



Category: Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Character Death, Fictional Religion & Theology, Gen, Interloper War, POV Multiple, Tragedy, Zelda's time to shine!, weird time skips/chronology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-01-18 12:06:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1427893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/face78/pseuds/face78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What it says on the tin. My take on the Interloper War as seen through several different fictional lenses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue and Epilogue

Excerpt from _A History of Hyrule and its Surrounding Territories at the Dawn of the Shadow Invasion_

…The legend of “Farore’s Garden” first appears in history almost a century after the Hero of Time’s triumph over the King of Evil. Scholars, who had previously known very little about the area known as the Lost Woods, now knew, thanks to the Hero himself, that there was indeed an abundance of life hidden within the forest.

Up until this point in history all prior attempts by outsiders to enter the forest resulted in their disappearance, as only the fairy folk were known to be able to navigate the Lost Woods. The Hero of Time, having been raised as a child of the forest, became the first Hylian ever to successfully navigate these woods. It is believed that he never revealed the secret of its navigation to anyone during his lifetime, as records indicate that it was only several years after the Hero’s supposed demise that other outsiders set foot in the woods and lived to tell the tale. It is believed by some (see Hendricks, _Popular Fiction and Legends of the Sages_ ) that the ancient Sage of Forest, herself, may have opened the forest to these outsiders with tragic results.

As a result of the forest’s protected nature and the abundance of magical energy therein, the scholars of the time theorized that this was indicative of a deep spiritual connection to the Goddess of Courage, herself. The fact that the Goddesses’ chosen hero hailed from the woods was viewed as further proof of such a connection, and the term “Farore’s Garden” was coined by ancient scholars thereafter to reference what had previously been known as the Lost Woods. It was theorized that Farore’s Garden marks the place where Farore gave life to all things and that explained why it was so rich in magical energy and the diverse number of flora and fauna that could be found there. This vitality came to be associated with life-giving energy and, for a time, the Sacred Forest was searched for as a kind of “fountain of youth.” Stories of how the fairy folk never aged contributed to the popularity of this legend and many adventurers set off in search of the forest, which mysteriously disappeared soon after its discovery by outsiders.

No records exist of anyone ever having found “Farore’s Garden” and as such legends surround the disappearance of the forest. The most popular holds that a great tragedy befell the fairy folk and, out of grief, the Goddess Farore hid them away. The nature of the tragedy has long since been forgotten, but there is evidence that perhaps the legend holds some truth. The following passage (found among Queen Zelda I’s personal affects after her death) suggests that there was, indeed, some sort of tragedy that befell the fairy folk and that she may have been somehow responsible:

“ _…As I lie here on what is certain to be my deathbed, I find that I must assuage my guilt on paper, for I feel my time is growing short. Though I will likely be remembered as a great queen by my people, I was not always so, and I regret that the people of the forest and so many others had to pay for my mistakes with their lives. I hope to be reunited with my fallen friends soon, but how many of them will be happy to see me? I can only hope that they have forgiven me for my faults as a princess, and that the next life has been kinder to them than this life was. Is it too much to hope that I might find peace, too, with those dear friends I could not save? It seems I must be content with my efforts to rebuild Kakariko as penance. The forest, however, shall remain beyond even my reach and the separation between ourselves and the Gerudo has long since been made irreversible. May my children rule over a better Hyrule than the one I leave to them and may they always look to the sacred tree in remembrance of the innocent who died. Perhaps, one day, we can be reconciled to those we drove out with our foolishness. I pray the mirror remains long enough for our hearts to be changed.”_

The “mirror” in question is thought by many scholars to be the Mirror of Twilight and the rebuilding of Kakariko Village has been thoroughly documented by historians. Much of the passage, however, remains a mystery. Though it seemingly confirms the existence of Farore’s Garden, it does not explain how it came to be “out of reach” and many historians do not view it as evidence of the legend’s veracity, but dismiss it as the barely lucid ramblings of a dying woman. These historians are supported by the fact that the occurrence of the word “Gerudo” does not exist anywhere else in history except for with regard to the Sage of Spirit, a being who allegedly hailed from a mythical race comprised solely of women. Historical records of all the other Sages and their deeds have been found, but the Sage of Spirit’s history has never been recorded outside of a few apocryphal texts whose claims to legitimacy are dubious, at best.

Others believe that perhaps the text held a code of some sort, since the members of the royal household, when questioned about the meaning of the “sacred tree” referenced in the document after the queen’s death, claimed to have no knowledge of what the phrase meant. The cryptic references to the legend of Farore’s Garden and the mythical Sage of Spirit, along with a “sacred tree,” may implicate that the Queen was using these legends as part of a code, although there is little evidence to support this claim. Most scholars hold that the references to various legends are simply evidence of the queen’s failing mind.

Today, the alleged “disappearance” of the forest known as Farore’s Garden is thought to be a metaphor for the destruction of the fairy folk who, thereafter, never again appear in history. It is known that the fairy folk did exist and that they lived in a place once known as the Lost Woods, but how they passed out of history altogether is still a matter of speculation amongst scholars. Records from the time following the Hero of Time’s demise (or, some say, disappearance) are scarce, as the mysterious “Interloper War” nearly destroyed the entirety of Hyrule, and with it, much of its recorded history.


	2. A Letter from the Royal Household

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter from the royal household. This is just the first of many times poor Pozo draws the diplomatic short stick.

17th day of the month of Ashwood

To the esteemed Count and Countess Goro of Death Mountain,

The banquet that is to be held in honor of Link, the Hero of Time, will continue as scheduled. However, it is my duty to express the Royal Family’s deepest regrets that the Hero, himself, will be unable to attend. He has taken a leave of absence from his duties in assisting the royal guard and will not be back for some time. The Princess has given her express consent that the Hero is free to take leave whenever he wishes and it is our hope that the Hero has a pleasant and restful reprieve from his royal duties. It is the Royal Family’s wish to continue with the banquet in his honor despite his absence, as he is deserving of all the honors it is theirs to give. The royal household received the lovely silk bomb bag and the stunning bouquet of bomb flowers you sent as a gift on the Hero’s behalf. Rest assured that they will be transferred to his residence for safekeeping until his return. The royal household eagerly anticipates your attendance and hopes to see you at the banquet despite this sudden change in plans.

Sincerely,

Undersecretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Pozo Mingot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know! Not much payoff for such a long wait. But another chapter's on the way and a little something extra from Lost Sheikah Legends will be going up soon, too. Much love to amasa for commenting and, thus, inspiring me to get out this short lil chapter! 
> 
> Will work for Kudos/Comments!


	3. Dear Diary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda confides in her diary.

_14th day of the month of Ashwood_

_Today Link left to find Navi. I gave him the Ocarina as a gift before he went; Saria has promised to pass along any messages for me should he contact her in the usual way. He said he was going to search the woods first, which seems sensible, seeing as how she’s a fairy and the Lost Woods is a big and mysterious place, full of places to hide._

_Is it odd that I miss him already? We’ve only met a few times, but in my heart it feels as though I’ve spent lifetimes knowing him. I suppose it makes sense, since I **did** know him for a lifetime somewhere out there in that other time, but it’s a strange thing to remember someone you thought you’d only just met and to know that you know them in a way that goes beyond even time. Flashes of memories return to me every now and again that make me wish he had stayed longer; I think we could have been great friends had there been time. Instead I’ve got to take care of Ganondorf all by myself! Well, not completely by myself. I know the other sages will be with me, but it feels somehow incomplete without Link. I have a strange feeling that I will not see him again; I hope that for once I am wrong._

_It’s been only days since Ganondorf was banished and I know I should feel guiltier than I do for having condemned a man for a crime he has not yet committed (Father told me to think hard on what I had done to a man who is, as of yet, innocent; but he cannot see the terrible things that I do in my dreams and visions), but knowing the future makes regret impossible for me. I am filled with fear that my father’s leniency in merely banishing him will prove to have doomed us all._

_But enough of my ominous musings! There is to be a banquet in honor of the Hero of Time within the week and I’ve not yet told anyone that he’s gone. Father will say it is not diplomatic of me to have let him go when he was to be the guest of honor, but who am I to further bind him? In another life I doomed him to spend seven years asleep only to awake in a world full of evil that he had to put right due to my mistake. It seemed the least I could do to let him search for the only friend of his who was there with him throughout his trials._

_I must rest now, so that I may be at my best tomorrow to better flatter and cajole all of the nobles so that they are not too distressed by the news. Diplomacy can be so tiresome; perhaps I shall become a warlord instead._


	4. The Tale of Good King Daphnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some stuff happens- in rhyme!

One of the few surviving pieces of literature from before the Interloper War, this epic poem entitled _The Tale of Good King Daphnes_ details the death of King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule I at the hands of the King of Evil. Though its veracity is doubtful due to its use of hyperbole to great effect, it is, nonetheless, the only surviving record of how King Daphnes’ rule may have ended. It is printed here in its abridged form, as the full epic is over 60 pages long:

 

“…So Daphnes, stout of heart, went to talk of peace

Completely unsuspecting it was there his reign would cease.

“Beware father! For Ganondorf plots evil in his heart!”

His daughter cried out to him, and begged he not depart.

 

But Daphnes, stout of heart, did not listen to the girl

And went into the valley, to see what would unfurl.

 

He found him there, the Evil King,

Alone without his men.

He’d burned the bridge behind him

And put himself ‘midst the lion’s den.

 

Daphnes, moved by the gesture of peace

Went forth without his arms.

To greet his foe on equal terms

And show he meant no harm.

 

They met as equals ‘fore the canyon

To find some equal ground.

But Ganon threw him o’er,

Into the river, where he drowned.

 

The sorrow of a nation!

The noble king is dead!

The grieving Hylian army now seeks he who killed him’s head

 

Thus do the soldiers move upon

The one who slayed their king.

They draw their blades as he draws his

And metal starts to sing.

 

The Evil King gives signal

For his archers to ignite

The flaming arrows ‘cross the river

They’ve hidden out of sight.

 

A rain of fire falls down upon

The Hylians ere they march.

 

The first line falls,

 

Their attack stalls

 

At the devious demarche.

 

Yet towards the King of Evil do the soldiers soldier on;

His army raining arrows,

Their bowstrings tightly drawn.

 

Ganon’s trapped ‘cross the chasm,

The survivors drawing close.

They think to kill him swiftly,

This most dangerous of foes.

 

But lo! His riders jump the chasm

On steeds of swiftest feet!

None can match their horsework.

Not a one do they unseat.

 

The warriors make quick work

Of ill-fated Daphnes’ men.

Their scimitars grow bloody

As they save their dreaded kin.

 

The King of Evil rides victorious ‘pon his battle mount.

While his army surges forward,

Blood spurts in unsurceasing founts.

 

The demon riders sally forth

To take the peaceful lands

That lie beyond their borders,

Swords clutched in bloody hands.

 

A leader gone,

A country mourns,

And war begins anew.

 

Thus ends the tale of Daphnes,

The stout of heart and true.”

 

-Anonymous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long wait, short chapter. But that's they way most of these will be until we get to the nitty-gritty of the fic. Then it'll be longer wait, longish chapter lol. Gimme love, folks, if you liked this chapter!


	5. An Unsent Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda writes a letter, then throws it away.

Link,

I know this letter will never reach you; I wouldn’t know where to send it even if I planned on doing so. I never did think to ask if you could read, or if Navi did all of the reading. In all likelihood I’ll simply throw this away later, but for now it helps me to pretend that you’re here and I can talk to you about what’s happened. I think you may be the only person who could understand what I’m feeling right now.

Father is dead. I tried to tell him not to go, but he wouldn’t listen to me. If you had been here you could have confirmed what I said and then maybe he wouldn’t have gone. But he wouldn’t listen when I told him Ganondorf didn’t want peace, that these talks were a trick. I should have made him listen, but everyone insists I’m just a little girl. I don’t feel much like a little girl, anymore. Father wanted to protect me from what was going on, but I know all these simpering delegates were just looking for a way to discredit me in his eyes. How dare they look at me as a child after the things I have seen in my visions; I was a warrior and a spy in a different life, yet they dare to presume that I cannot understand the horrors of war!

When the messenger came to tell us what happened, my tears hadn’t even dried before those vipers were scheming to become regent. Tolsten, that odious bore, has been pressing me to name him regent so that I can “take some time for my grief.” At least he’s been creative enough to hide his fangs beneath a veneer of concern for my well-being, the others have all chosen to challenge me openly by calling attention to my youth and inexperience. To be certain, I am young, but I have lived a life they know nothing of and am not so much a child as they think.

My advisors are advocating that I choose Hilbreth to be regent until I am of age; as though I haven’t noticed him granting them all duchies and stuffing their pockets full of his ill-gotten coin. My father is dead a week and they seek to win his throne through bribery. I trust none of them to heed my counsel; they are all too busy with their own agendas to be trusted. Most of them are pleased with this war: the merchants among them look to profit from it, the unpopular to distinguish themselves in battle and make a name for themselves, and the untitled and greedy to be granted enemy lands should we conquer them. If I am to keep my throne I will have to learn to play their games faster than ever before.

I have not had much practice in the art of deception in politics, but for now I have deferred the crisis by giving to Impa a significant amount of land near Kakariko Village so that she is now “Lady Impa” and is eligible to be named regent. My only loyal friend, she can be trusted to hold my place on the throne for the next three years. I have called together the other Sages, so that they might advise me as well. I fear they will be my only allies as, admittedly, I am too young to have cultivated many political allies who will be of use and, as I have discovered, loyalty to my father is not necessarily a guarantee of loyalty to myself.

I wish I could tell you of how old I feel, now that the reality of protecting my throne has made itself so discouragingly apparent. It is a burden I did not have to fear while my father was alive and I grieve not only for him but also for how unprepared I was. What will become of Hyrule if I lose my throne? And even if I manage to keep it, what if I am not a good ruler, Link? I never became Queen in that other time, so even though I no longer feel a princess, I am still not a Queen. I can tell no one of my uncertainties, however, for it will only serve to prove my opponents right should I voice them.

I am glad I have you to write to, even if this never reaches you. I can speak frankly with you, especially since you are not here to be disappointed in me the way I am in myself. Besides, I could not have your help this time even if you were here as this is a matter of politics- not heroism- but it comforts me to imagine that you would remain on my side even though I made such a grave mistake in the past.

Your friend

(At least, I hope we are friends),

Zelda


End file.
